When I was about 10 years old, my friend Anthony Hill taught me a simple card game. I often played the game with my brothers and sisters, but not knowing the actual name of the game, we simply called it Anthony Hill’s game. Fifty years later I still play the game and continue to use his name to refer to the game. Now, through this blog, Anthony Hill and his card game will live on.

The object of the game, which is best played with 2 or 3 players, is to be the first person to get rid of all one’s cards.

Deal the same number of cards (7-10 is about right), face down, to each player. Put the remaining cards in a pile, face down, and then turn over the top card, placing it next to the pile. Having decided who plays first (however you decide!) the first player must put a card of the same suit OR the same number as the the turned up card, placing it over this card. If the player is unable to play a card of the same suit or number, they must pick up the top card from the pile of face-down cards and add it to the other cards in their hand. Having played a card or picked up a card, play then moves to the next player, who must play a card of the same suit or number as the card at the top of the pile.
If the pile of face-down cards runs out, simply shuffle the exposed cards (except the top one), and place them face down to form a new pile.

The first player to get rid of their cards is the winner!

If the players are able to cope with another rule (!), then the following makes the game more interesting.
When playing a card of the same suit, if the card being played is an ace, the player can change the suit of the card at the top of the pile to any suit. So, for example, if the card at the top of the pile is a diamond (for example) and a player plays the ace of diamonds, the player can change the suit to spades (for example) so that the next player has to play a spade or a card of the same number (ie another ace).

(Note that if one ace is placed on top of another, the second ace can only change the suit if it’s the same suit as the suit changed to by the preceding ace, otherwise the suit of the ace on top becomes the current suit.)